A Rallying Cry from editor Jessica Spotswood ‘a the current political climate, editing this anthology has felt like an act of love and resistance. The election brought to light a stunningly widespread lack of empathy for those who ate not straight and white and cisgender and male, Now, more than ever, we need voices from girls in the margins and the intersections We need reminders that, throughout U.S. history, these girls have existed and resisted—and that to reject racism, sexism, ableisn, and homophobia isa vital par of America Merriam-Webrter’s definitions of radical include “very different from the usual of traditional” and “excellent, cool" I like to think our heroines in these twelve short stories are both. Ou radical gel ae fist- and second-generation immigrants. They are Mormon and Jewish, queer and questioning, wheelchair users and neurodivergent, Iranian-American and Latina and Black and biracial. They are funny and awkward and jealous and brave. They are spies and scholars and siteom writers, printers’ apprentices and poker players, rockers and high-wire walkers. They ate mundane and they'are magical In their stories “Daughter of the Book’ and “Youre a Stranger Here,” Dahlia Adler and Mackenzi Lee tackle religion: Adler’ Jewish heroine is seking the eeligious education denied to women in 1838, while Lee's heroine is wrestling with her Mormon faith as her community is again driven from their home, Adler’ clever, determined heroine is one to root for, while New York Time best-selling author Lee’ story features pitc perfect historical voice, Erin Bowman's “The Magician” and Megan Shepherd's “Lady Firebrand” are thrilling adventure stories about girls with dangerous, deeply held secrets. Anna-Marie McLemore’s “Glamour” and Dhonielle Clayton's "When the Moonlight Isn't Enough” intertwine the ugly realities of American racism with magical realism and stunningly beautifil prose, In “Bette for All the World,” New York Times best-selling author Marieke Nijkamp powerfully explores her first fownvoices autistic character facing down the 1927 Supreme Court decision on Buck vs. Bell, determined to love and value herself'in a society that has failed her. In Sarvenaz Tash’s “The Belle of the Ball,” the heroine fights sexism and parental disapproval to pursue her goal of becoming a sitcom writer, In “Land of the Sweet, Home of the Brave,” Stacey Lee's winsome heroine explores what it means to love America while encountering racism as a biracial Chinese-Japanese teen after World War TI, And Meg Medina’s “The Birth of Susi Go-Go" and Sara Parizanis “Take Me with U" portray Cuban and Iranian immigrant girls wrestling with cultural identity while following their dreams, whether those dreams involve an elusive pair of white leather go-go boots oF singing Prince covers in an eighties punk band. has been my privilege to work with these eleven tremendously talented authors, some of whom are exploring pieces of their identities in fetion for the first time. I hope that in some small way The Radical Element can help forge greater empathy and a spirit of curiosity and inclusiveness. That in reading about our radical girls, readers might begin to question why voices like these are so often missing from traditional history: They have always existed. How can we help boost these voices today? #radicalelement